Impact of ‘Digital India’ on Women Empowerment in Rural India

Aims & Objectives: The government of India under nine pillars has initiated several programmes to bridge the digital divides. In the rural areas, CSCs are playing a key role. Under the e‐Governance Services of Digital India scheme, a new project ‘ICT for Capacity Building and Livelihood Generation for Rural Women’ called e‐ Swavlambika has been initiated, sponsored by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). The broad objective of the study was to assess the impact of the training and skill programmes provided to rural women’s livelihood opportunities under the e‐ Swavlambika project.

Following were the specific objectives of the study:-

• To document and analyze the types of skills and trainings imparted under the project.
• To examine the quantity and quality of jobs and earnings opportunities created after learning the skills.
• To assess the impact of such livelihood opportunities on their socio‐economic status.
• To identify major challenges and recommend suggestions for improvements of the project.

Methodology: A sample of 400 women i.e. 40 percent from total 1000 targeted beneficiaries of e-Swavlambika project in Bihar were interviewed spread over 12 villages in two districts namely Patna and Vaishali in the state of Bihar. Mixed method approach (quantitative and qualitative) was adopted to collect information to meet the objectives. Quantitative information was collected through structured questionnaire, while qualitative information gathered through a semi-structured, open-ended questionnaire and by documenting select case studies.

Findings: Impact of the Trainings on Rural Women

• Most of the respondents stated that they had learnt various aspects under digital literacy training (37 percent learnt new skills).
• Around half of the respondents recorded improvement in their existing knowledge or awareness and confidence levels.
• There is a need to practice the acquired skills from the training more frequently.
• 29 percent managed to secure new jobs and 27 percent augmented their incomes.
• 66 percent of the women gained the respect of their family and community.
• 43 percent of the respondents gained respect in the community.
• 47 percent said that the trainer lacked enough knowledge about the topic of training.
• 59, 45 and 14 percent blamed lack of new opportunities, family responsibilities/ constraints and societal pressures as obstacles in realization of their aspirations.
• There is a positive relationship between the level of satisfaction and the benefits derived from the training.

Participation in Digital Training

• The study reveals that apart from the common components of the training, a very few participants showed interest in additional activities conducted on paper plate-making, making of artificial jewelry, puppet-making etc.
• Overall lectures and verbal training were the more prominent teaching methods adopted, demonstrations were widely used as teaching methods for skill development programmes such as tailoring while practical lessons or learning by doing methods were used for training in the beautician and computer.
• Trainees claimed that the training period was short and more regular training sessions were required.
• Trainees were satisfied with the content of almost all kinds of training but legal literacy and financial literacy training which they found to be too technical

Recommendation: The e-Swavlambika training program has succeeded in uplifting the socio-economic status of some of the women trainees from the training programmes. Further efforts, however, need to be made to broaden the scope of the training and to ensure its better implementation in future. The training has been successful in equipping some of the targeted women with unique skill sets to enable them to become self-reliant by taking up employment, or generating income through the setting up of their own enterprises. The training  generated awareness among the women about the critical issues of gender equality and individual empowerment. Many of the women have been able to utilize their newly acquired skill sets for improving the quality of their lives. The study also shows that skill development and literacy training can prove to be beneficial and effective only if they are backed by financial assistance, and support from the family and society. A conscious effort needs to be made to usher in an ideological transformation in the manner and mindset of perceiving the issue of women’s empowerment to ensure optimization of their potential.